Misplaced and dangling modifiers

1. Misplaced and Misplaced and
Dangling ModifiersDangling Modifiers

2. What is a misplaced modifier?What is a misplaced modifier?
Modifiers Modifiers are words or word groups that describe other are words or word groups that describe other
words in a sentence. In the following sentence, the words in a sentence. In the following sentence, the
words in bold modify words in bold modify womanwoman..
The woman The woman who is sitting by the doorwho is sitting by the door is my sister. is my sister.
A A misplaced modifiermisplaced modifier, because it is not correctly , because it is not correctly
placed, describes the wrong word or words:placed, describes the wrong word or words:
INCORRECT INCORRECT Marcy saw the neighbor’s dog drinking a Marcy saw the neighbor’s dog drinking a
cocktail. cocktail.
CORRECT CORRECT Drinking a cocktail, Marcy saw the Drinking a cocktail, Marcy saw the
neighbor’s dog. neighbor’s dog.

3. Four types of modifiers are often misplaced. (See Four types of modifiers are often misplaced. (See
your textbook for more specific details.) your textbook for more specific details.)
Modifiers such as Modifiers such as only, almost, hardly, nearly, only, almost, hardly, nearly, andand
just.just.
Modifiers that start with Modifiers that start with –ing–ing verbs, like verbs, like playing, playing,
dancing, driving, singing.dancing, driving, singing.
Modifiers that are prepositional phrases (phrases Modifiers that are prepositional phrases (phrases
that begin with prepositions like that begin with prepositions like in, on, at, in, on, at,
aroundaround).).
Modifying word groups that start with Modifying word groups that start with who, who,
whose, that, whose, that, oror which. which.

4. What is a dangling modifier?What is a dangling modifier?
A A dangling modifierdangling modifier “dangles” because the “dangles” because the
word or words it is supposed to describe are not word or words it is supposed to describe are not
in the sentence.in the sentence.
INCORRECT INCORRECT Jogging in the park, a dog bit me.Jogging in the park, a dog bit me.
[The dog wasn’t jogging in the park; the actual [The dog wasn’t jogging in the park; the actual
jogger is missing from the sentence.]jogger is missing from the sentence.]
CORRECTCORRECT Jogging in the park, I got bitten by a Jogging in the park, I got bitten by a
dog. dog. OROR While I was jogging in the park, a dog While I was jogging in the park, a dog
bit me.bit me.

5. LET’S PRACTICE!LET’S PRACTICE!
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